A device for determining the wheel geometry and/or the axle geometry of motor vehicles is described in German Patent Application No. DE 197 57 763 and European Patent No. EP 1 042 643 B1, using an optical measuring device having at least two picture recording devices. In this instance, a so-called stereo measuring system is involved, having binocular (stereo) picture recording devices. Such binocular picture recording devices require much effort and are costly.
In other wheel alignment systems, like one that is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,792, measuring targets having passpoint networks are used, which have to be produced with high precision, and are therefore also costly. Furthermore, in an everyday repair shop environment, such high precision measuring targets are easily damaged or deformed, which leads to uncontrollable measuring errors.